Chusetts



{No Model.)

A. H. STODDARD & W. P. 000KB.

1 TOOTH POWDER BOX.

No. 456,709. Patented July 28,1891.

WITNESSES- I TIM/ENTERS W X/MJ c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. STODDARD AND \VILLIAM P. OOOKE, OF BOSTON, MASSA- CHUSET' S.

TOOTH-POWDER Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,709, dated July 28, 1891.

Application filed March 20, 1891. Serial No. 385,765. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that we, ARTHUR H. STODDARD and WILLIAM P. CooKE, both of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Tooth-Powder Boxes, of which the follow:

' a receptacle distinct from that of the main containing-package and be kept separate therefrom until used.

The object of our invention is to provide a convenient and simple form of package for accomplishing this result, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings we have represented at Figure 1, in plan,with the cover removed, and at Fig. 2, in vertical section, with the cover on, a tooth-powder package embodyin g our present improvement in the form now best known to us.

In the drawings, A represents a suitable vessel or jar, and B its cover. These are substantially as heretofore constructed, and may be of a variety of well-known and convenient forms and of any suitable material, it being ordinarily essential that the cover may be made to close the package tightly, so as to prevent loss of its contents.

Our improvement particularly consists in the additional feature shown at C, wherebya relatively small part of the total contents of the package A can be automatically separated from the rest and presented for use when the cover is removed. For this purpose we provide a plate or diaphragm O, located at or near the mouth of the powder-containing vessel A. This plate is preferably attached to and held in place in the mouth of the vessel A by means of a flange c, fitting the same. This plate or diaphragm O is provided with perforations or passage-ways D between its edges and the mouth of the vessel A, and is preferably made concave or dishing, as shown, so as to retain a larger quantity of the powder. It may be conveniently formed of sheet metal, in which case the plate with its flange and perforations may be all formed or stamped from the same sheet of metal.

In operating the device, when it is desired to obtain a small quantity of the dentifrice or other powder which the package contains. the latter, with the cover in place, is inverted and slightly shaken, so as to permit a portion of its contents to pass through the perforations 1). Then by righting the package the powder which has so passed through will be retained upon the plate 0, and when the cover is removed will be in a convenient position for use. i

In the case of dentifrice, for which our invention is particularly intended, it is especially desirable to have a portion thereof exposed separate from the main body of the contents, as the moisture from the tooth-brush is liable to cake the powder, so as to render it undesirable for subsequent use. This caked powder, being retained by the plate and prevented from going back into and mixing with the other powder in the package, may be thrown away when it becomes unfit for use, thus insuring the next supply of powder for use being free from cakes or lumps.

\Ve do not desire to confine ourselves to the specific means described of supporting the plate in the mouth of the package-win, the flange c-althongh such is our preferred construction. \Ve believe, further, that our invention can be applied to salt-cellars, toiletpowder boxes, and other suitable receptacles for finely-powdered material where it is desirable that only a small portion of the contents should be from time to time exposed for use.

\Ve claim 1. In combination, a suitable containingvessel A, a removable cover B therefor, and a plate not connected with the cover, having an imperforate central portion, but provided with passage-ways at or near its edge, said plate being located in the mouth of said vessel, whereby when the vessel with the cover on is inverted and then reverted a portion of its contents will be held exposed upon the imperforate central portion of the plate, substantially as set forth.

'2. In combination, a suitable containingvessel A, a removable cover B therefor, and a plate not connected With the cover, having an imperforate central portion, but provided with passage-Ways at or near its edge, said plate being concaved upon its upper surface and being located in the mouth of said vessel, whereby when the vessel with the cover on is inverted and then reverted a portion of its contents will be held exposed upon the imperforate central portion of the plate, sub: stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto subscribed our names this 17th day of March, A. D: 1891.

ARTHUR H. STODDARD. WILLIAM P. OOOKE. Witnesses:

ELLEN B. TOMLINSON, JOHN H. TAYLOR. 

